Electrolaser

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Because a laser-induced plasma channel relies on ionization, gas must exist between the electrolaser weapon and its target. If a laser-beam is intense enough, its electromagnetic field is strong enough to rip electrons off of air molecules, or whatever gas happens to be in between, creating plasma.[1] Similar to lightning, the rapid heating also creates a sonic boom.[citation needed]

As a weapon, to make a thunderhead deliver a precise lightning strike onto a target from an aircraft; in this case, the aircraft and laser can be compared to a triggered spark gap, in that the relatively minor amount of initial input from the laser allows a large amount of energy to flow between the cloud and the ground.

A variant of the electrolaser can be used in combination with a set of masks and a rotating prims, for rapid 3d printing temporary magnetic components layered into gases which afterwards getting energized, generate a very short-lived magnetic force. The method was one candidate for future attempts to cage active plasmas but was discarded due to difficulties simulating gas behaviour and additional difficulties predicting actual currenten flow in the printed plasma machinery.

Applied Energetics said that the weapons will be able to be used as a non-lethal alternative to current weaponry, but will be able to deliver a high enough voltage jolt to kill.

Applied Energetics / Ionatron say that they are working on an electrolaser system, called LGE (Laser Guided Energy).[4] They are also studying a laser-induced plasma channel (LIPC) as a way to stop people from going through a corridor or passageway.[5]

Holden Special Vehicle Technologies, formerly of San Diego, California, USA, are designing a non-lethal device which was profiled in the 2002 TIME magazine article "Beyond the Rubber Bullet". It is an electrolaser using ultravioletlaser beams of 193 nm, and promises to immobilize living targets at a distance without contact. There is plan for an engine-disabling variation for use against the electronic ignitions of cars using a 248 nm laser.[6]

Scientists and engineers from Picatinny Arsenal have demonstrated that an electric discharge can go through a laser beam. The laser beam is self-focusing due to the high laser intensity of 50 billion watts, which changes the speed of light in air.[7] The laser was reportedly successfully tested in January 2012.[8]